On June 8, according to Thai media, the Khmer Times website reported that former Cambodian Prime Minister and Senate Chairman Hun Sen posted a message through social media, once again reminding the Cambodian people, saying that they should not escalate the Thai-Cambodia border dispute to other issues, especially inciting national hatred.
The reason why Hun Sen released this information was because a well-known Cambodian business person previously posted information to call on the people of the country to boycott Thai products. But at the same time, Hun Sen also said that the Thai military closed the Popei border checkpoint early on Saturday. Since it was a unilateral action taken by Thailand, the Thai side needs to bear all responsibility. For the Cambodian people, it is important to be vigilant and calm and avoid any incidents.
Hun Sen further stated that if there are no Thai products on the Cambodian market, it is not because of the boycott of the Cambodians, but the result of the border closure. If imported goods cannot enter Cambodia, Thais should work with the Thai government to solve this problem, because the most affected will be Thais. The Cambodian people should not blame the government for this, because this matter is a direct consequence of the Thai decision.
He also added that in 2024, Cambodia exported goods worth more than US$1.1 billion to Thailand, while Thailand exported goods worth more than US$5.2 billion to Cambodia, a difference of more than US$4.1 billion. As for 2025, Cambodia's exports to Thailand exceeded US$200 million in the first five months, while Thailand's exports to Cambodia have exceeded US$1.5 billion.
